Risk of Clogging Sink Drain?

[Cheechako]

I wouldn't put a big load of anything, coffee or otherwise in the drain. Not that it might be fine. I just don't see the sense of it. Grease never, it will coagulate in the fittings and boats don't have traps. Coffee grounds belong in the garbage.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I wouldn't put a big load of anything, coffee or otherwise in the drain. Not that it might be fine. I just don't see the sense of it. Grease never, it will coagulate in the fittings and boats don't have traps. Coffee grounds belong in the garbage.

i know folks who deliberately do this--in my case it is completely clumsidaisical activity, and followed by massive liquid flushes
......

[savoir]

Every 3 months or so, close the seacock beneath the sink and fill the pipes with vinegar then soak overnight. Flush with hot water the next day. The big offender is the fat which attracts whatever dirt passes by such as coffee grounds. Vinegar will dissolve the fat . . . or is emulsify the right word? Either way it loosens the fat up and enables the hot water to flush it out.

Raritan CP might be even better. Never tried it.

[Dave22q]

If you have time to worry about clogged sink drains you need to get a life. In the event it actually happens try using your palm like a plunger, pouring very hot water, or running a piece of tie wire as a snake. If all that fails, go outside and apply water pressure with a hose or run your snake.
If nothing works re-post your problem here.
BTW I heard the same story that coffee grounds clean your drain pipes, thought it probably true but but have never bothered to try it.

[knockabout]

if its fatty glug wash up in a dish

[hzcruiser]

I've had white powder build-up on the outside of the thru-hull.
At the last haul-out my shipwright asked me if I pour a lot of milk down the drain as he's seen that harming the sealant/gasket.

Turned out that the PO was using house-hold sealant for the piping...

[Quebramar]

4 years in a row that coffee goes into the sink, but with some water (always some left in the hand-press coffee pot).
I read about the abrasive effect so have started this week pouring into the head, again with flush it remains fully liquid. Hope to keep the pipes fully clean [emoji55]

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by thinwater

It Kinna like cigarettes and cancer; maybe a problem, maybe not. You take your chances.

4 Everyday Things That Are Clogging Your Drain

I think the science linking cigarettes and cancer is very well established.

[IdoraKeeper]

Since my sink is partially below the water line, as is the shower sump and head sink, all must be pumped overboard after collection in a manifold...I avoid any garbage that might cause issues.

[Sojourner]

In our case (Amel Super Maramu) it's the one slight failing of an otherwise amazing design....all the graywater goes into the central sump first, then is pumped out by the bilge pump. So no, we don't flush anything into the sink...a few coffee grounds wont kill anything but the pump won't lift it, and then I have to clean the deep bilge of heavier food/coffee bits. Just got a super tight strainer in each sink, no worries.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by accomplice

Our drain clogs often, with just the slightest bit of food, or especially fat. Since it is a double sink, plunging requires holding something to cover one drain while plunging the other....which is a PITA. I've considered installing a grey water tank and pump but I fear that may be worse.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Close your drain thru-hull and pour a couple of cups full of warm water and a quarter of a cup of Raritan CP into the drain and allow it to sit over night. It will clean your system out quite neatly.

Note that pressing the bell of a pressurized horn over a drain and giving it a short blast will often blow out a lot of debris (but ensure to hold the plug in the drain opening of the second sink if you happen to have a double sinks!) To avoid the problem to begin with, don't discharge food waste through the drain, even coffee grounds!

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Close your drain thru-hull and pour a couple of cups full of warm water and a quarter of a cup of Raritan CP into the drain and allow it to sit over night. It will clean your system out quite neatly.

Note that pressing the bell of a pressurized horn over a drain and giving it a short blast will often blow out a lot of debris (but ensure to hold the plug in the drain opening of the second sink if you happen to have a double sinks!) To avoid the problem to begin with, don't discharge food waste through the drain, even coffee grounds!

I worked in a facilities dept for a 3000 person company. Coffee grounds were one of the usual culprits when we put a camera snake down a clogged drain. We had a policy of never ever using any type of drain cleaner. Over the years, some kitchen contractors would use it, eventually it would eat thru metal drain pipes.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

I worked in a facilities dept for a 3000 person company. Coffee grounds were one of the usual culprits when we put a camera snake down a clogged drain. We had a policy of never ever using any type of drain cleaner. Over the years, some kitchen contractors would use it, eventually it would eat thru metal drain pipes.

As a matter of practice, one simply shouldn't put anything down a sink drain save gray water or water. Never-the-less, "stuff" does get washed into the drain, including cooking ois/fats et al. Raritan CP is an enzymatic cleaner developed by Ms. Peg Hall (aka "The Head Mistress") before her company sold the product to Raritan that works by "digesting" the compounds that typically foul piping. It cannot damage the piping or fittings but is particularly effective at cleaning them out.


FWIW...

[Copacabana]

I put a stainless steel mesh screen in the galley sink drain to catch any food particles. You can buy them in kitchen stores. The food particles then go into the garbage or over the side. Anything greasy I wipe with a paper towel before I wash it. So far no clogs.

[SVRocinante]

Originally Posted by AnglaisInHull

Just back from a short trip with someone who didn't want anything except dishwater to go down the sink drain. His argument was that anything else - the specific item in question was coffee grounds - would in the long term clog the pipes.

This is the first time I've heard this - has anyone experienced this problem?

We have not experienced that problem.

Wife & I are full-time cruisers on the US east coast.
Typically cook 3 meals a day onboard while at anchor.
We treat the sink on Rocinante as we did at our land based home; plates are scraped clean, coffee grounds thrown out, etc. But we don‘t go nuts after that.

BTW, just in case it has to be said, if I cook more than a few slices of bacon, I pour the bacon fat out into a bowl (re-use or discard in trash once cooled) before washing the pan.

That is, any bits of food that are left, coffee grounds that are stuck to the filter (we use a reusable cone coffee filter), etc. simply go down the drain... no biggie!

Double sink, no clogs to speak of in a bit over 3 yrs. A few times it’s gotten sluggish, but then as Sailmonkey says, a quick plunge with the palm of my hand clears it every time.

Now, we do have a mostly straight run after the “T” from the galley sinks down to the tru-hull, so as someone else mentioned, that might make a difference.